The most famous fortresses of Crimea

Surely everyone noticed that nowhere do you feel so sharply and vividly the transience of time, like in half-ruined castles - witnesses of past glory and grandeur. On a small piece of land, almost completely surrounded by turquoise water of the sea, the Crimea peninsula, you can meet an incredible number of fortresses of different eras. Some of them are still in excellent condition and continue to amaze with their majestic beauty, others have turned into ruins. And we can only guess what they really were. However, there is something in common that unites all the fortresses of the Crimea. This is their amazing environment: picturesque mountains, framed by greenery and flowers, a turquoise sky and a magnificent horizon.

Historical heritage of the Crimea

This miracle peninsula at different periods of its existence was under the domination of various powers, and hence, of different cultures. That's why the fortresses of Crimea are so different from each other. Here there are very ancient, in the Hellenistic style, and medieval-European, and Jewish, and Muslim. Every year thousands of tourists come here to visit the ruins of ancient architectural monuments, make a journey into the past and get in touch with history.

Chersonese of Taurida

This fortress is called the Russian Troy. It is located near the city-hero of Sevastopol. Archaeologists believe that Chersonesus is more than 2000 years old. It was founded in the 5th century BC and existed until the 15th century of the new calendar. This fortress served as a stronghold for the Pontine Kingdom, and then for Ancient Rome and Byzantium. Since each of the lords of Chersonesos wished to make the city more fortified and unapproachable, then by the Middle Ages the height of the fortress wall reached 5 meters, width - 4 m, and the length - 3 kilometers.

A particularly notable construction is the flank tower of Zeno, one of the first owners of the fortress. We have also reached the ancient theater, which is the only one on the territory of the former USSR, and the central square is the agora, and the basilica in the basilica (medieval Christian church). At the very end of the 20th century, the fortress of Chersonesos was listed in the UNESCO World Heritage List as one of the 100 most outstanding monuments of world culture.

Fortress Calamita

The first stones of the foundation of this majestic structure were set by the Greeks in the VI century on the site of Inkerman. The fortress was erected to protect Chersonesos. Kalamit has an excellent location. It is protected from enemies by natural guardians from all sides - cliffs. The same location has other fortresses of the Crimea. For reliability around them, often erected walls and dug a moat.

Today from its former greatness there are only ruins. However, they also give us an idea of what the fortress was in the days of its glory. Under Calamita you can see a cave monastery. It is two centuries younger than the fortress itself. In the Middle Ages, Kalamita belonged to the principality of Theodoro, protecting the port of Avlita from an external enemy. For some time, the fortified city was the main port of the principality, after the fall of which it fell under the rule of the Genoese, Turks, Tatars.

Aluston

Like other fortresses of the Crimea, Aluston has reached our days almost completely destroyed. It is located in the center of Alushta, among residential buildings. This fortress, like Kalamita, was built in the 6th century AD at the insistence of the Byzantine emperor Justinian I. It served to protect the local inhabitants from nomads. In the Middle Ages, the Genoese attacked the fortress, seized it and reconstructed it in its own way. In the middle of the 15th century, Aluston was destroyed by the Turks who seized him. After that the fortress was not restored any more. In the late 90s of the last century, the Ukrainian authorities built a departmental sanatorium on the territory of the fortress. Today, only one round tower of Ashag-Kule remained from it.

Medieval fortresses of Crimea

In the 12-14 centuries the peninsula was often attacked by Genoese. They are the builders of medieval fortresses. By the way, they often chose the ruins of cities for their work. Genoese trusted a bit of Crimeans in this matter. Between modern Alushta and Gurzuf several fortresses were built in the Middle Ages. When in the VIII century the Khazars attacked the fortress of the Gorzuvit, they destroyed it almost to the ground. However, the Genoese arrived on the peninsula at the same place built another fortress, but already in the Mediterranean style.

Genoese fortress in Sudak

This wonderful structure also has an ancient history. In its place, the first buildings were made in the 5-6th centuries, precisely in the period when Byzantine lords had power over the peninsula Crimea. The Genoese fortress, the photo of which you see in the article, was built later by the Italians who came to the peninsula. Up to now, some of its defensive structures have been preserved. Today, in these parts, various festivals are often held, which attracts large tourist flows to this area.

Funa

The name of this fortress is translated from Greek as "smoking". The fortress of Fun in the Crimea is also located in the Alushta area - in the valley of the Demerdzhi mountain. It played the role of an eastern outpost and was a help for the fortress of Aluston. Funa has a special significance for the residents of Alushta, and indeed the Crimea as a whole. The legend says that it was here that one of the queens was buried. They say that she was lying in a coffin with a golden crown on her head. Of course, many dream to find it among the ruins of the castle, but all the searches have so far been useless.

Ottoman rule

Eni-Kale is translated from Turkish as a "new fortress". It rises on the rocks on the shore of the Kerch Strait. The author of the construction was the Italian architect Goloppo. It is said that he replaced the Christian faith in Islam, so many see in his "handwriting" the eastern footprint. At one time inside the fortress was a garrison. It consisted of thousands of people. Since 1771 the Turks who occupied the fortress gave it to Russia, and at the end of the 2000s a treasure with 77 gold coins was discovered here. Eni-Kale is the most famous Turkish fortress on the peninsula. The Crimea, of course, was hard during the Ottoman rule. However, after the departure of the Turks in the territory remained beautiful fortresses, which today are among the best local attractions.

Conclusion

This is just a small group of fortresses, which were built by different lords of the peninsula. That's why their architecture is so different. This can be seen even by the ruins.